Pipe cleaning apparatus



June 17, M41. W, TATE 2,246,421

' PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 171941. I T TATE 2,246,421

/ PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WilliamT170156,

Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE CLEANINGAPPARATUS William Taren Tate, Manchester, England Application November12, 1938, Serial No. 240,189

2 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning the interior of fluidpipe lines, more particularly water pipe lines, in preparation forlining them with cement or other material.

Iron pipe for conducting water soon begins to show signs of scale orrust and over a period of time, depending upon the chemicalcharacteristics of the water, rusts out moreor less quickly. Ordinarilywater pipes, particularly those for supplying city consumers, are laidbeneath paved streets or other inconveniently accessible places, andtherefore when it becomes necessary to renew, repair, or replace thesame, considerable expense is involved. Moreover, as thepipes continueto rust and accumulate or propagate further scale, the diameter of thepipe becomes so reduced that the pressure required for pumping the waterthrough the pipes or mains consumes considerably more power withconsequent added maintenance expense.

Accordingly, it is extremely desirable from a practical and economicstandpoint to line the mains or pipes in situ with concrete or othermaterial, after the fashion for example shown in my prior U. S. Patent$1 1,951,221, dated March13, 1934., As a preliminary to thus lining thepipes it is necessary to remove the rust or scale, and it is one of theobjects of thepresent invention to provide a simple, reliable andpractical apparatus which will more effectually clean pipe interiorsthan devices heretofore proposed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel unit ofconstruction which may be used in multiple or in gangs to form a trainof cleaning devices. In that connection it is proposed to provide anovel frame construction carrying scraping and cutting bars which are somounted as to be resiliently urged toward the interior of the pipe to becleaned, and which may be readily replaced when desired or required tomaintain the efficiency of the apparatus. On the other hand theconstruction involved also permits of the use of different forms ofcleaning elements, for example, wire brushes which partake of the samegeneral characteristics as the cutters, thereby making these devicesrelatively interchangeable, although in practice it is preferred toconstruct one unit entirely of cutting elements and another unitentirely of brushing elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel cutting orscraping bars which are provided with special cutting faces whichgreatly facilitate the removal of scale and lower the resistance tomoving the units through the pipe line.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appearas the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which: e

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a gang or train of unitsemployed in the cleaning operation.

Figure 2 is a plan View of one of the scraping bars.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the scraping bar, shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of one of thescraping units shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken on the line 55 ofFigure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a brush unit.

Figure 7 is a detail cross-sectional view taken on the line 1-1 ofFigure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a modifiedarrangement.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

Accordingto the embodiment shown in the drawings, the pipe cleaningunits are generally identified as A and B. In that connection, it willbe observed, by reference to Fig. 1 that the scraping units areidentified as A and A, while the brushingunit is identified as B, auditwill of course be understood, that as many scraping units A, A, etceteramay be used as desired, and likewise as many brush units B, etcetera maybe employed, according to the work to be performed. In either casehowever, the common function of the units A and B is to clean theinterior of the pipe, and therefore these units will be generallyreferred to as pipe cleaning units.

While the construction of these units will more fully appear later indetail, nevertheless, at this point it may be observed that theconstruction of the several units is such that the pipe cleaningelements of each unit are arranged in a circumferential series, and thecleaning elements of adjacent units are arranged in staggered angularrelation so that the leading unit will clean circumferentially spacedparts of the pipe, while the adjacent trailing unit will clean or scrapethe portions of the pipe not engaged by the leading or preceding unit.Thus, according to the predetermined condition of the pipe line to becleaned,

it will be apparent that as many units may be employed as desired, andlikewise the cleaning elements of each unit may be arranged in a mannerto most effectively and efliciently remove the scale or rust.

The structural features of the several units are essentially the same,and therefore the description of one will suffice for the others, itbeing understood, as previously indicated, that the cleaning elements,whether they be scrapers or brushes may be mounted in the same manner ineach unit, or in different units.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, it will be seen that the unit A includes anaxial rod l which may be of round, square, hexagonal or othercross-section in shape. This rod may be provided at one end with theknuckle portion 2 for receiving the bolt 3 of a mating knuckle portion 4of a universal joint designated generally as 5 and intended to connect atrailing unit with a leading unit. The other end of the rod may bethreaded, as indicated at 6, to receive a washer I and lock nut or nuts8, for the purpose which will presently appear, while the extremity ofthe threaded portion may receive a bail or loop 9 for connecting theunit to a cable or other propelling means.

The rod I has suitable spider elements Ill-l mounted in spaced relationnear th opposite ends thereof. One of the spiders may abut with theknuckle 2, while the other spider may be clamped between the nut or nuts8 and the washer 1. In that connection, it will of course be understood,that the spiders ID are provided with central openings which permit themto be threaded over the rod l. The spiders II] are preferably in theform of disks or plates provided at their inner sides with the annularrecesses I! for receiving the reduced end portions l2 of a cylinder l3.This cylinder spans the space bei spider IE] will be held in firmlyabutting relation to the knuckle 2. The function of the cylinder i3 isto provide a spring support as will later appear, particularly when theunits are constructed to operate in pipes of large diameter. When pipesof small diameter are to be cleaned the cylinder [3 may be omitted asindicated in Fig. 8 and the springs supported directly on the axial rodl Continuing with the description of the spiders II] it may be pointedout that the spiders are of duplicate formation and are each providedwith radially extending webs M which terminate in tangential oppositelydisposed lugs l5. Thus. it will be seen from Fig. the radial webs andtheir tangential lugs provide in effect T- shaped keys disposed radiallyand spaced circumferentially about the periphery of the spiders.

The pipe cleaning elements which partake of the nature of scraper barsare designated generally as C. These bars preferably comprise anelongated body portion l6 provided at the ends thereof with spacedfingers I! which provide in effect forked ends for the bars which areadapted to straddle the radial webs M of the spiders and also engagebeneath the oppositely extending lugs l5 thereof. The surface of each ofthe bars I6 is provided with a series of transversely disposed arcuatecutting blades l8 which are of progressively increasing radii from theleading end of the bar toward the trailing end thereof, as will beapparent from Fig. 4. Thus, as the bars bite into the scale or rustformation, they will progressively remove the same to a greater depth.Moreover, this arrangement provides less initial resistance to scraping.In addition, the surface of each scraper bar I6 is provided with acentral disposed serrated rib IQ of sawtooth formation. This rib assistsmaterially in initiating the removal of rust and scale which is morecompletely removed by the scraper bars which extend transversely acrossthe bar.

Each of the scraper bars 16 are yieldingly mounted in the frame. That isto say, each bar carries at its under side, by means of suitable setscrews 2!], a supporting spring 2| whose free ends 22 bear on the outersurface of the cylinder I 3. Thus, the bars I 6 are yieldingly pressedoutwardly so as to have a certain amount of give when engaging the rustor scale, and at the same time the springs 21 tend to maintain theforked ends ll of th bars in engagement with the tangential lugs l5 ofthe spiders.

The brush elements are designated generally as D'and shown in Figs. 6and 7. These elements include a body portion 23 provided with amultiplicity of openings for receiving the tufts of wire bristles 24.The body 23 is backed up by a cover plate 25 which is held in place bysuitable screw bolts or other fastenings 26. The ends of each brush bar23 are provided with the forked portions 21 to permit them to be engagedbeneath th lugs I5 of the radial webs of the spiders Ill when they areassembled in a unit B, which partakes of the same general structuralcharacteristics as the unit A.

Figure 8 of the drawings shows a modified arrangement wherein the springsupporting cylinder I3 is omitted, and the springs 2| have their freeends 22* bearing directly against the rod l When the apparatus isintended for use in relatively small pipes, this arrangement is verysatisfactory. The cleaning elements w are interlocked with the spidersI0 in the same fashion as previously described, the springs 2 Iyieldingly supporting the cleaning elements and maintaining theminterlocked with the spiders.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present constructionlends itself to embodiment in units of different length and diameter.That is to say, the axial rods may be made of any desired length andlike the spiders I 0 may be made of different diameters according to thesize of the pipe to be cleaned. In any case, however, the cleaningelements are yieldingly supported and interlocked with the spiders. Itwill also be apparent that the elongated cleaning elements may bearranged in a spaced circumferential series, and the elements ofadjacent units may be arranged in staggered angular relation so that thetotal effect of succeeding units of the train or gang is to completelyengage the entire inner circumference of the pipe. By arranging thecleaning elements in the fashion described, it will be seen that theresistance to movement through the pipe is reduced, not only requiringless power, but at the same time adding to the longevity of the cleaningelements, as well as their efficiency in cleaning or scraping.

Although, by way of example, only three units have been illustrated inthe drawings as forming a train, it will be understood that any desirednumber of units may be used so long as they are universally shackledtogether to provide the necessary articulation between the units formeeting any inequalities in the pipe line, as well as effectivelyengaging the scale or other matter adhering to the pipe wall. The effectof the cut of each unit is to form longitudinal grooves in the scale,but the combined effect of succeeding units is to completely remove thescale throughout the entire inner surface of the pipe or pipe line.

Without further description it is thought that the features andadvantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form,proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A scraper bar for pipe cleaning apparatus comprising an elongatedbody, transversely disposed arcuate cutting blades carried by the bodyand spaced longitudinally of said body, and a centrally disposedserrated rib extending longitudinally of the body and intersecting saidblades, said rib having its serrated portion of uniform heightthroughout and the blades gradually increasing in height from theforward end of the bar rearward.

2. A scraper bar for pipe cleaning apparatus comprising an elongatedbody, transversely disposed arcuate cutting blades carried by the bodyand spaced longtudinally of said body, and a centrally disposed serratedrib extending longitudinally of the body and intersecting said blades,said rib having its serrated portion of uniform height throughout andthe blades gradually increasing in height from the forward end of thebar rearward, the rearmost blade being of equal height to the serratedrib.

WILLIAM TAREN TATE.

